July 2015

A little extra protein for breakfast?

A woman was making breakfast with organic eggs from free-range chickens that she purchased from a major department store chain. Below is what she found after cracking the second egg.

What is your diagnosis? Scroll down to see the answer...

Answer:

This is Ascaridia galli, a parasitic roundworm of birds. This nematode inhabits the small intestines, but in heavy infections, may move up the oviduct and can sometimes be found in hens' eggs. The life cycle of this parasite involves the ingestion of infective eggs, but transport hosts such as earthworms are thought to play a role in A. galli transmission, and therefore free range birds tend to have a higher risk of infection.​Case kindly provided by Dr. Dwight Bowman, Professor of Parasitology at Cornell University.